Bootjack



No. 606,947. Patented jluly 5, I898.

' H. STRATE.

BOOTJACK.

(Application filed July 1, 1897.)

(No Model.)

wummo gvwemto a UNITED STATES.

PATENT @rrrcn.

HENRY STRATE, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y..

BOOTJACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,947, dated July 5, 1898.

Application filed July 1,1897. Serial No. 643,135. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY STRATE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Bootjacks, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved bootjack; Fig. 2, a side View of one of the boot-holders; Fig. 3, a side view at right angle to Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detail views, a front and a side View, respectively, of one top end of the boot-holder with the foot-rests removed; Fig. 6, a front View, and Fig. 7 a top view, of the spreader used in connection with my improved loootjack.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views of the drawings.

My invention relates to dressing utensils; and it consists of the hereinafter-described apparatus for putting on and removing of shoes. I

Cripples, stout people who cannot bend over readily, and people of more advanced age, whose limbs have lost their flexibility, experience great difficulties in putting on of shoes.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus whereby the employment of the hands and also the necessity of bending over by putting on of shoes are obviated.

My improved bootjack consists of two bootholders A and A, blocks 0 and C, secured to plate B, and of a spreader (shown in Figs.

' 6 and 7) which I combine therewith. Blocks C and 0, set at an angle to each other and as far apart as the width of an ordinary shoe,

constitute a clamp into which the heel of the.

shoe is wedged and held firmly therein while the foot is withdrawn from it. Holders A and A serve to suspend the shoe in suitable position and to hold the sides of its opening apart while the foot is inserted. Each holder constitutes a double-armed rack, and to each of its arms a and a is pivoted, by means of bolts 0, an oscillating bracket b. The heads of brackets Z) are extended beyond the bores for bolts 0 and slotted, forming the two projections d. Springs e, set between the abutments f and projections d, resist swinging of the brackets b and stretch the opening of a shoe hung on pins 2', thus allowing free access of the foot into the shoe.

The spreader shown in Figs. 6 and 7 consists of the bow g, provided on its ends with pins 1' and slots h and with a hook it, set in the apex of the bow g and at a right angle thereto, and serves to hold apart the opening of the shoe.

When in use, the spreader is attached to the projecting pin .2 of the forward bracket 6. The manner of suspending a shoe on the shoe-holder is shown in Fig. 2, the shoe and the changed position of the brackets and the position of the spreader being indicated in dotted lines. Pins 1' of the spreader are inserted in the holes of the spring-fasteners, or the stems of these fasteners may be inserted in the slots It, provided on the ends of the bow g. Shield Z, made of leather or other suitable material, preferably fastened to it by inserting the hook 7.; into a corresponding case provided on the shield Z, serves for retaining the flap of a lace-shoe from falling into the shoe and also guards against the slipping of the toe during the process of dressing.

The suspension of the shoe upon the spreader and brackets is such that when the foot is inserted therein a slight sidewise motion with the foot will disengage it.

The bed-plate of myimproved bootjack does not need to be secured to the floor, the clamp and also the holders being so placed thereon as to make it necessary to step on it when putting on or taking off the shoes. It is not necessary to have two boot-holders. It is, however, more convenient. The caps m, secured on tops of the boot-holders a and a, serve as foot-rests when the shoe is laced or buttoned or for other similar purposes.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A boot-holder comprising a two-armed rack, outwardly-projecting abutments, one on each end of the rack; brackets having slotted ends pivotally secured to the arms of the-rack, and pins for removably attaching thereto of shoes; and springs inserted between the projecting abutments and the ends of the slotted ends of the brackets.

2. A shoe-spreader, comprising a bow, a flexible shield secured to the bow, means for securing the ends of the bow to a shoe and a hook integral with the bow and adapted for attaching spreader to the brackets of a bootholder.

3. The combination with a boot-holder comprising a two-armed rack, outwardly-projecting abutments one on each end of the rack, swinging brackets one secured to each arm of the rack and having slotted heads, springs inserted between the projecting ends of the slotted heads of the brackets, of a shoespreader, comprising a bow, a flexible shield secured to the bow, means for securing the ends of bow to a shoe and means for attaching it to the bracket.

In witness that I claim the improvements described in the foregoing specification I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY STRATE. Witnesses:

ROBERT VALENTINE MATHEWS, HARRY CALHOUN. 

